Chapter 161: Is Qin He More Important or Is the Child More Important?

Cui Shi scolded Qin He so viciously that she was left humiliated and covered in shame, leaving Qin He filled with humiliation and rage.

"Fool, your heart and eyes are full only of yourself," Cui Shi, still unsatisfied, continued: "You go around shouting 'one person for a lifetime' to anyone who will listen. Stop dreaming. In Great Yan, no, in this realm of cultivation, there is no such thing as 'one person for a lifetime,' especially among noble families. Unless it's a small household that cannot afford a concubine—would you be willing to marry into such a family? You only have eyes for this Heir and that Heir, yet you won't even glance at a small household. You despise the poor and love the rich, wanting only to marry into high gates, yet you still dream of 'one person for a lifetime'? Do you have the fate for that?"

Qin He was heartbroken and indignant, feeling that her legitimate mother held a prejudice against her. How could she say such things? Qin He shouted loudly, "Why don't I have that fate? Heir He promised me 'one person for a lifetime.' He betrayed me and failed to keep his word."

Here we go again. Cui Shi was so angry that the veins on her forehead throbbed. She slapped the table and said, "Fine, you want to challenge me, do you? Go find Heir He. I'll send someone to follow you. I want to see if Heir He really promised you 'one person for a lifetime.'"

Who was Heir He? Cui Shi, born into a prestigious and powerful family, knew the score perfectly.

A man who had become a powerful minister in Great Yan would never marry Qin Bi if Heir He had truly promised Qin He "one person for a lifetime," not even if it was to pave the way for Qin He.

Qin He was very confident: "I will definitely go and ask."

Cui Shi stood up and pointed to the door: "Go now."

Qin He finally realized the situation and hesitated, saying, "I'll go another day."

"Choosing a good day is not as good as seizing the moment. Go now." Cui Shi, with the full bearing of the head of the household, would not tolerate provocation from a concubine-born daughter. She said, "Right now, the He family members are all present. You claim Heir He is deeply devoted to you, so go and ask. Since he promised you 'one person for a lifetime,' why did he marry? And since he is married and has a child, he should have remained pure for you."

How ridiculous. Once married, one cannot have children?

Qin He wanted to proudly turn and go straight to the Yan Guogong Prefecture, but her feet did not move. She made an excuse: "My mother-in-law said I should go to the Yan Guogong Prefecture in a few days. Before that, I am not allowed to go."

Cui Shi glanced at Qin He disdainfully, sat down, and said, "I am suggesting you go and ask right now, in front of the He family members. It would also show how heavy your weight is in Heir He's heart, letting everyone see whether you are more important or the child is."

If Heir He were truly as Qin He claimed, obedient to her in every way, the entire Yan Guogong Prefecture would stand up to defend Rong Juan's status. But would Heir He really disregard his only child in this life for Qin He?

The answer is: Are you joking?

"It's Qin Bi who has no shame," Qin He changed the subject, shouting angrily: "She secretly gave birth to Heir He's child."

Cui Shi chuckled without getting angry, instead asking coldly: "Princess Xue, does it concern you? Qin Bi was the wife Heir He brought in with twelve palanquins. The child Qin Bi bore is Heir He's legitimate son. What is your Fubao? Not even a child of a mistress outside the house. You are not Heir He's mistress either, and you and Heir He were never even betrothed."

Betrothed twice, neither succeeded. If it didn't succeed, it doesn't count.

Qin He was filled with shame and anger. Cui Shi's expression changed; she grew cold and spoke sharply: "You keep talking about 'one person for a lifetime.' Did you keep your word? If you can't even do it yourself, how dare you accuse others of betraying you? You earned a little silver and forgot your place, yet you dare to make demands on the son of a powerful minister. You've been given too much face."

Qin He was scolded terribly. Cui Shi was furious and showed Qin He no mercy at all, leaving Qin He with a face full of humiliation. Her face turned pale and green as she fled in panic. As soon as Qin He left Cui Shi's courtyard, she began to cry.

Her legitimate sister and Qin Han, along with a few others, saw this and asked with concern what was wrong with Qin He.

Qin He wiped away her tears and forced a smile. The words Cui Shi had used to scold her absolutely could not be spread outside; otherwise, how would she have any face left among her sisters? After brushing them off with a few words, Qin He hurriedly left.

Qin He returned to the Xue Wang Prefecture. Seeing Qin He's red eyes, the Xue Heir asked, "Who bullied you?"

"No one," Qin He showed a smile and made an excuse: "My legitimate mother scolded me a couple of times."

The Xue Heir had no other choice: "You should go to your natal home less often in the future."

How could Qin He not go to the Qin Yan Marquis Prefecture? She quickly said, "Mother scolding me is only right."

That was not true at all. Qin He hated it to death. What did Cui Shi know? An ancient woman simply did not understand what "one person for a lifetime" meant. Cui Shi did not understand the deep devotion Heir He had for her either.

Qin He's mind was occupied with this matter; she didn't even have time to care for the child.

Qin He handed her legitimate son over to the Xue Heir. The Xue Heir complained bitterly. Which Heir would take care of a child himself? Qin He was the same; handing the child over to servants would have been enough. Why did she have to do it herself?

On the other side, Qin Han returned home, looking deeply troubled.

Jiang Mo asked her, "What's wrong?"

Qin Han told him that Rong Juan was Heir He's child. Jiang Mo was stunned. After a long pause, he said, "You didn't get involved with Qin He, did you? Qin He does everything for the benefit of the Xue Wang Prefecture. Let's not get involved."

The Jiang family were merchants with a weak background, lacking the boldness to cause trouble like Qin He.

Heir He had feelings for Qin He, but he had none for them.

Qin Han nodded: "I know. If I had known Qin He cared so much about Heir He having a child, I wouldn't have returned to the Qin Yan Marquis Prefecture."

The forty fortune values and luck values of Great Yan flickered faintly. The Great Yan Emperor was in a good mood and bestowed even greater rewards upon Qin Bi. The Prime Minister personally went to the Rong Wang Prefecture, where Rong Heir held his youngest son to meet the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister glanced at the little bundle who was making "ah ah" sounds and tentatively asked, "Rong Heir, is this your eldest legitimate son or your second legitimate son?"

Rong Heir lifted his eyelids to glance at the Prime Minister, then lowered his head to shield the child from the sunlight. The man was infinitely patient and said, "Rong Juan is my eldest son, and Rong Chi is my second son."

The Prime Minister was stunned, then understood the meaning behind those words. Rong Juan was still Rong Heir's child, and the position of eldest son still belonged to young Heir Rong Juan. Secondly, where there is a legitimate wife, there are concubines; where there is a legitimate son, there are concubine-born sons.

For Rong Heir, there was only one wife: Rong Wang Fei.

Of course, the children born to Rong Wang Fei are legitimate sons. Even without concubines or concubine-born sons, they are still legitimate sons. But Rong Heir deliberately mentioning this was his way of stating his stance.

The Prime Minister nodded. Rong Heir protecting his wife and children like this was far better than that Xue Wang Fei who kept shouting about "one person for a lifetime" all day. The Prime Minister gave the little bundle a small jade pendant and returned to the palace to report.

Two days later, Qin He took Fubao and carried her legitimate son to the Yan Guogong Prefecture.

Xue Wang Fei felt it was not yet appropriate to go, but Qin He could not wait. If she waited any longer, she would suffocate from frustration. Besides, she could not let her legitimate mother Cui Shi look down on her.

Cui Shi was certain she would not dare to go find Heir He. Qin He wanted to show Cui Shi otherwise.

In Heir He's eyes, she, Qin He, was different.

Once she saw Heir He, let's see if Cui Shi would still look down on her.